Growth and Development of Coccinellid Larvae on Dry Foods (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

Abstract Ten species of predatory coccinellids representing seven genera were reared from the first-instar larva to the adult stage on dry powdered aphids. Dry pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harr.), and corn aphids, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), were both superior to bean aphids, Aphis fabae Scop., for growing coccinellid larvae. Though Anatis mali Auct. grew equally well on A . pisum and R . maidis , the larvae generally lived longer when starved after feeding on R . maidis . Dry aphids were as good as living aphids for growing A . mali and Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake. C . maculata grew as well in darkness as in light, and an aphid–pollen mixture was superior to either component alone. Three generations of C . maculata were reared on a yeast diet and this diet is the most promising food for use to supplement natural foods in the field. An arrangement of coccinellid species on the basis of their food specificity does not correspond to the current phylogenetic arrangement, as the taxonomically primitive tribe Coccinellini contains both generalized and selective feeders.